#school librarian

GooseChase is an interactive platform that allows educators to create digital scavenger hunts that encourage students to complete challenges through photos, videos, text responses, and GPS check-ins. Experiences can be completed individually or in teams. GooseChase promotes collaboration, problem-solving, and learning both inside and outside the classroom.

One feature that stood out to me is how customizable the scavenger hunts are. Librarians can create missions that align with information with curriculum while incorporating creativity and movement. I also like that students submit evidence of completing each challenge, allowing teachers and librarians to review responses and provide feedback. This makes learning more interactive than a traditional worksheet while giving educators a simple way to monitor participation and perform assessment.

There is also a template library that saves librarians time when creating these scavenger hunts.

Would I implement this in my library? Yes! I think GooseChase would be a fun way to introduce students to the library at the beginning of the school year or reinforce research and information literacy skills through gameifying instruction. I could also see it being used for recognizing the elements of a book, digital citizenship lessons, or schoolwide reading events to increase student engagement.

Rating: 5/5

References

Biblionasium is a free reading platform designed to encourage independent reading through a safe, social environment. Students can build virtual bookshelves, write book reviews, create reading wish lists, participate in reading challenges, and receive personalized book recommendations based on their interests. Teachers and librarians can create classes, assign reading, monitor student progress, and recommend titles without students needing to use public social media platforms.

The feature that stood out to me most is that it provides a safe space for students to share recommendations while giving educators oversight of student activity. Instead of simply tracking the number of books students read, Biblionasium encourages students to reflect on what they have read through ratings, reviews, and recommendations. The personalized book suggestions and reading challenges could help students discover new genres and authors while giving librarians valuable insight into students' reading interests. This information could be useful when planning book displays, purchasing new materials, or recommending books to individual students.

Would I implement this in my library? Yes! I think Biblionasium would be an excellent tool for promoting independent reading and helping students build a reading community. I would use it during reading challenges, book clubs, or independent reading units to encourage students to talk about books and discover new titles through their classmates' recommendations.

Rating: 5/5

References

EarSketch is a free online platform where students create music by writing Python or JavaScript code to arrange loops and samples into songs. EarSketch includes thousands of royalty-free sounds for students to experiment with. Students get immediate feedback with the ability to playback what their written code is doing, so they can listen to it and make creative decisions based on what they hear.

Another feature I appreciate is the ability to collaborate in real time. In a classroom or library setting, students could work in pairs or small groups, with one person experimenting with code while another focuses on the musical arrangement. They could also remix one another’s projects, compare different approaches, and talk about how small code changes affect the final track. Students can access the platform from any computer by logging into their account. It is accessible because no software is needed.

Would I implement this? I think there could be a learning curve, especially for students who are new to both coding and music production. It might take some guidance to help them understand the interface, the sound library, and the structure of the code. I’d probably introduce it with a structured, guided project and direct instruction before giving students complete creative freedom. I do think that the creative payoff seems worth the extra support, so I would consider using it with the right group of upper grade students.

Rating: 4/5

To celebrate, here are 6 picture books with nonbinary characters that are worth checking out:

Neither by Arlie Anderson

In a world of binaries where everyone is either This or That, there was a being who was Neither. The others find that hard to understand and accept, and tell Neither they must go Somewhere Else. Will Neither find a place to belong?

Ho'onani: Hula Warrior by Heather Gale

Ho’onani is neither wahini (girl) or kāne (boy), but their own special thing. When they join an all-male hula team, their sister takes issue with that. Through this experience, Ho’onani comes to terms with the fact that even those who love us may not always understand us right away — but it doesn’t mean we should stop being who we are.

From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea by Kai Cheng Thom

Miu Lan was born neither a girl nor a boy. They wish their classmates could understand that and accept them for who they are.

What Riley Wore by Elana K. Arnold

Riley loves dressing up, be it a tutu or a bunny costume, or whatever else is at hand that they feel like wearing. When another kid asks Riley if they’re a girl or a boy, the answer is obvious: Riley is Riley! Now, on to the truly important thing: Let’s play!

Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Worm loves Worm. So they decide they should get married, as people (and worms) in love are wont to do. With the help of their friends, they start getting ready. But since there’s no such thing as boy worms and girl worms (all worms are both and neither), who will be the bride and who will be the groom? After all, you need one of each to get married, don’t you?

My Maddy by Gayle E. Pitman

Smore is an interactive newsletter builder. The platform allows for collaborative work and simple sharing to email, website, social media, and mass notification systems. Smore makes newsletters accessible to all students and families by offering auto translations in 130+ languages.

Smore also offers hundreds of customizable newsletter templates so that busy teachers and librarians have a starting point.

The feature that most drew me to Smore is the analytics provided. Smore provides educators with easy to understand analytic data that shows how readers are engaging with the content. This allows educators to see if their newsletters are actually reaching their colleagues, students and families and gives them the opportunity to make adjustments that better fit their community.

Would I use this in my classroom? Yes! What sets Smore apart from other graphic design applications like Canva are the elements created specifically to benefit educators, school leaders and their communities.

Rating: 5/5

We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) is a nonprofit organization created to not only showcase books featuring diverse characters, but assist authors and illustrators in publishing their diverse books and then donating and distributing those titles.

It is important to give students access to diverse literature because building a well-rounded sense of self is dependent on seeing representations of ourselves and of others we may be unfamiliar with. Children’s author and WNDB Advisory Board member Grace Lin uses the terms mirrors and windows to describe these two kinds of representation in media. Without one or the other, children develop a narrow worldview and, as a result of that, have an inflated sense of self or a negative sense of self (TEDx, 2016).  

We Need Diverse Books also offers several resource guides on their website including information on how to diversify your bookshelves, fight book bans, and writing and publishing resources.

Rating: 5/5

Would I implement this in my library? Yes, I would absolutely use the resource guides about where to find diverse books, especially the guides that address specific groups of people or cultures to fit the needs of my students.

References

TEDx. (2016, March 18). The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child's Bookshelf | Grace Lin | TEDxNatick [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/_wQ8wiV3FVo?si=EOx8Zx7jeY6eD-Wx

I'm really glad that it was a sunny day, so the kids could have the water fight activity and run around outside going crazy.